Bible Strands
Job 29:13
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Job delivers a retrospective monologue about his former days of civic leadership and public honor before his calamity began.
The words — The text foregrounds בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד (bir.Kat 'O.ved), literally the blessing of one about to perish, and אַרְנִֽן ('ar.Nin), which means I made sing for joy.
The thread — The narrative links Job’s past care for the vulnerable to Job 22:9, which condemns sending widows away empty-handed, Job 31:19, which notes the perishing of those lacking clothing, and Isaiah 27:13, which describes those perishing in Assyria gathering for worship.
Why it lands — The passage records Job’s historical acts of rescuing the destitute and bringing joy to the widow before prompting the reader to assess whether such conduct aligns with true righteousness.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Cross-references
- Job 22:9 You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
- Job 31:19 if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
- Isaiah 27:13 And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
- 2 Timothy 1:16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
- Philemon 1:7 I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
- Deuteronomy 16:11 and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.
- Deuteronomy 24:13 be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.
- Deuteronomy 26:5 and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.
- Nehemiah 8:10 Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
- Psalms 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah